CALAX operator prepares for traffic surge until May 9 elections 

MPCALA Holdings, Inc., the concessionaire for the Cavite-Laguna expressway (CALAX), announced on Thursday that lane closures will be suspended starting May 6 until election day, May 9, in anticipation of more road users.   

Lane closures, unless for safety repairs or emergency, will be suspended during the period to ensure smooth flow of traffic, the company said in an e-mailed statement. 

At the same time, it said that traffic marshals, security teams, and toll plaza personnel will be deployed to assist the motorists.  

Cavite and Laguna rank 2nd and 4th, respectively, among provinces with the biggest number of registered voters in the country. The entire Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (Calabarzon) region and its neighboring National Capital Region have the two highest with about 16.5 million voters combined.   

The company reminded motorists to use RFID “to keep away from the long lines at cash lanes.”  

“Those who have no RFID yet may have it installed for free in any of the Easytrip stations just by paying the initial load of P200,” it added.  

MPCALA Holdings is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.  

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin